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That seems very restrictive! I can kind of understand some of it though. One of the issues we struggle with here is that there is no difference for yard or inside work area rates between companies who pay for a shop here and those who work out of the back of a truck with no paperwork, insurance, safety equipment etc. Often with no experience and no thought to controlling their dust and waste. It gets everywhere and costs us a lot to manage, as we can't expect our customer's to pay for the added expense to clean up after them. Very hard to compete with them too, when we pay 10x as much in overhead, and maintain a clean and safe workplace and provide a solid warranty for our work.

CharlieCobra: Good luck with your road trip, hope you come through the winter ok!
We've enjoyed following your projects in the shop here. Looking at a similar trip for Dec-Feb unless things change dramatically. Two of our guys have decided to stay behind, and take the time off. Are you taking everyone? Going with a cube van, or ?

Yeah, all of the contractors that work in the yard we are located in are require to carry a one million dollar liability policy and be licensed. The clean up rules are rigorously enforced.

At our yard, DIY is permitted on the hard or at your slip, but not inside. I think that is common. If you bring a contractor on the hard or at the slip, they must demonstrate they have insurance, be approved by the manager and someone pays a 15% vig to the yard. I have no doubt that some of the yard's employees, who didn't get the work, would be jerks about it too. The manager in particular. For inside storage, they don't even permit DIY, let alone a contractor.

When they stink at what they do, a monopoly is about their only weapon.

I believe that inside storage has waiting lists around here. And VERY expensive. $12 - $15 per sqft, plus the mast. Since you can't do any work yourself, you increase the winter storage bill even further to pay them. I know one yard that won't even haul your boat, unless you pay them to winterize it.

That seems very restrictive! I can kind of understand some of it though. One of the issues we struggle with here is that there is no difference for yard or inside work area rates between companies who pay for a shop here and those who work out of the back of a truck with no paperwork, insurance, safety equipment etc. Often with no experience and no thought to controlling their dust and waste. It gets everywhere and costs us a lot to manage, as we can't expect our customer's to pay for the added expense to clean up after them. Very hard to compete with them too, when we pay 10x as much in overhead, and maintain a clean and safe workplace and provide a solid warranty for our work.

CharlieCobra: Good luck with your road trip, hope you come through the winter ok!
We've enjoyed following your projects in the shop here. Looking at a similar trip for Dec-Feb unless things change dramatically. Two of our guys have decided to stay behind, and take the time off. Are you taking everyone? Going with a cube van, or ?

10-13-2013 08:08 PM

Faster

Re: Baggett and Sons East Coast Road Trip

Would Australia let foreign professionals in to do that kind of work? Often there are border barricades to that kind of thing to protect local industry and business.

If I had some jobs lined up, we'd apply for a visa and show up on your dock.

Charlie, there's work over here for you, no doubt about it.. My boat needs the topsides re-doing and a few other bits and pieces and I know a few others in a similar situation. Only issue is that it's the start of the summer season and everyone wants to get out on the water!

If you are serious about coming over this way and checking things out for yourself, plan to fly via Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney, PM me and I'll put you on to some locals (both owners and builders) in each place.

Can you put a tent up over your boat while it's outside Minne? You could build a greenhouse around it with heavy-duty "clear" plastic.

I've never seen it done, but have never asked. On the other hand, boats are stored so closely, it's unlikely anyway. I've been put so close, it's been hard to get a ladder on the beam some years.

Just so that I'm not misleading anyone, I do not have a big project to give to Charlie at the moment. I was never among those that did. I started this line of discussion in response to his frustration that many had suggested they would hire him on the East Coast, but have gone silent on his offer to come. I think it's a facility problem.

10-11-2013 11:36 AM

Michael K

Re: Baggett and Sons East Coast Road Trip

Charlie,

T37Solare made mention of Herrington Harbour. It has two facilities (north and south) but North is the larger one and has several independent vendors who have leased buildings over a long time frame. I'm not sure there is any available sheltered work space at this point in time, but I'm pretty certain you'd get the short end of the stick being the new guy there. You can call 800 297 1390 to talk with management.

This is the first that I've seen of your trip East, Charlie. I think that there is the opportunity, if you could get the word out. SailNet alone will not cut it. Is Annapolis the only destination, or are you going to other ports?

We have no set destination as yet. Still defining what boats are where and need what done to them.

if you don't get an estimate, they can put any level of skill on the job and bill you whatever it takes for them to learn how to do it.

I have definitely run into this. Worse than paying for the unskilled labor to learn is that you likely end up with hack work. And I've actually had a hard time even getting an estimate, even with very well defined work.

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